Humidifier

ABSTRACT

A humidifier in which air is passed both through and around a moving loop of spongy material, a portion of which passes through a pool of liquid; the loop intersects, at an opening, the column of moving air, which must pass through it.

United States aient Malmgren June 4, 1974 [54] HUMIDIFIER 3,621,830 11/1971 Geisler et al .1 261/92 3,744,772 7 1973 W' 'I. 6] 8) [76] inventor: George L. Malmgren, PO. Box 271, dgner ct d 2 Pinebrook, NJ. 07058 l Primary Examiner-Tim R. Mlles [22] Flled: May 12, 1972 Assistant ExaminerRichard L. Chiesa 21 Appl NO: 252 913 Attorney, Agent, or FirmPopper, Bain, BObiS, Gilfii lan & Rhodes [52] US. Cl. 261/80, 26l/DlG. 15 [51] Int. Cl B0lf 3/04 [57] ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search 26l/80 46 A humidifier in whichair is passed both through and around a moving loop of spongy material, a portion of [56] References Cited which passes through a pool of liquid; the loop inter- UNITED STATES PATENTS sects, at an opening, the column of moving air, which 3,203,676 8/1965 Sprouse et a1. 261/80 must pass through it. 3,306,59l 2/1967 Valazza 261/92 3,615,075 10/1971 Heiman et al. 261/80 1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEU n 4 I974 SHEET 2 BF 2 HUMIDIFIIER BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 1. Field of Invention This invention relates generally to humidifiers, and specifically to warm air furnace humidifiers.

2. Description of Prior Art l-lumidification of air in warm air furnaces usually takes the form of exposing a moisture absorbent material with a large external surface to a current of heated air. Effectiveness may be rapidly lost by the external surface of the material becoming covered with dust and dirt, or by the precipitation of mineral matter from the water. The absorbent material quickly loses its capacity to absorb moisture and its large external surface, rather than being very wet, is caked, remains dry or merely damp, the moisture shielded from evaporation by caked dust and mineral deposits.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION It has been found that a high capacity humidifier for warm air furnaces can be provided which is relatively noiseless simple in form, stable in operation, highly effective in humidifying apparatus, highly resistant to caking and clogging with dust, dirt and precipitated minerals, relatively maintenance free, and relatively inexpensive. This is accomplished by placing an endless loop in continuous rotation across an opening in a humidifier chamber so that air must pass through the stuff of the loop in order to enter or leave the chamber. In addition, the air circulates around the loop in the humidifier chamber to pick up as much moisture as possible. The loop is in continuous motion, so as to keep it moist and flanges on rollers on which the loop is carried serve as crust-breakers to prevent crusts of precipitated minerals from hardening or filling the interstices of the sponge-like loop, tending to make such particles flake off, thereby providing for active and continuous humidification.

DRAWIINGS These objects and advantages, as well as other objects and advantages may be attained by the device shown by way of illustration in the drawings in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view of the mounting for a rotating humidifying loop;

H6. 2 is a perspective view of one side wall of a humidifier chamber;

FIG. 3 is a partially sectioned front elevation view of the humidifier; and

F IG. 4 is a side, vertical sectional view of the humidifier.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT fied air may be in either direction. A continuous loop 17 of moisture absorbent material is positioned in the housing. This loop 17 may be made of expanded plastic foam, such as polyurethane or other similar material, which readily absorbs moisture and has a large external surface both interiorly interially of the loop 17 and exteriorly, from which the moisture may evaporate. A pair of rollers 18 are located in the housing 11, positioned at the top, and at the bottom of the opening 14, that is to say, adjacent to opposite ends of the opening 14 and in close proximity thereto, so that the loop 17 substantially closes the opening 14. ln this manner, air passes through opening 14, passes through the loop 17 and picks up much more moisture than it would have done had it merely flowed around the loop. The rollers are so positioned as to keep the loop in substantial registration with the opening 14. A motor 19 is connected to one of the rollers 18, to move the loop 17.

The top roller 18 has a plurality of radial flanges 10 which insure the driving of the belt and tend to break up minerals that may deposit or precipitate in the spongy foam. The rollers 18 are of sufficient diameter to maintain the opposite portions of the loop 17 in spaced relation to each other, to permit free circulation of air therebetween and to encourage additional evaporation of moisture. Radial flanges 20 are provided on the ends of the rollers 18, to keep the loop 17 in precise registration with the opening 14. A water intake inlet in the housing and a float valve provide for the maintenance of the water at such a level that the lower end of the loop is constantly immersed. The intake and float valve, not shown, are of conventional design.

Provision is made for the suspension of the rollers 18 in the housing so that they may be readily removed, so that the continuous loop 17 may be cleaned or replaced, and so that the loop 17 is constantly in precise registration with the opening 14. For this purpose a generally rectangular frame 23 is provided. The frame 23 has vertical top and bottom enlargements defining opposite arms 24 arranged in pairs at each side of the frame 23 and cross-bars 25 connecting the arms together. These arms 24 are provided with holes to receive the axles 21 upon which the rollers 18 rotate. In order to keep the rollers 18 properly spaced from the ends of the arms, spacers 35 are carried between the arms 24 and the rollers 18. The arms 24 are deflectable. This construction permits a key 26, on the end of one of the axles 21, to be engaged with a driven socket 27. The motor 19 drives the socket 27. Opposite sides of the frame 23 are provided with brackets 28. The housing 11 has a pair of latitudinal opposite bars 29 which serve to mount U-shaped seats or sockets 30. The sockets 30 receive the brackets 28 and hold the loop 17 opposite the opening 14. The arm 24 adjacent to the key 26 may be deflected to fit the key 26 into the driven socket 27. An outlet 31 is provided in the bottom of the housing to permit drainage and flushing out of dust, dirt or precipitated mineral deposits and accumulations. An air conducting sleeve 32 is connected to the opening 16 to conduct air to or from the furnace.

Unlike absorbent webs which are stationary, and readily collect lime deposits and soon lose their absorbency, the driven expanded plastic continuous loop 17 does not readily collect lime deposits; hard water mineral deposits which begin to collect thereon usually flake off, and fall to the bottom of the housing 11. Thus, the continuous loop 17 tends to remain clear of mineral deposits and maintains absorbency for a longer time. In addition, the movement of the loop in close proximity to the opening insures the movement of air, not merely around, but through the material of the loop thereby causing a higher degree of humidification, in contradistinction to humidification that results from air merely moving over the surfaces of material. In this manner, a higher degree of moisture transfer to the moving column of air is attained. It is preferred that the opening 14 be attached to that portion of a hot air furnace where the air is already heated and is being driven toward distribution ducts. It is preferred that the air conducting sleeve conduct the humidified air to that portion of the hot air furnace where the air circulating is about to be heated. These connections may be reversed. l-lumidification takes place by air circulating both around and passing through the loop 17.

I claim:

1. A humidifier for attachment to a warm air furnace comprising:

a. a housing,

b. a motor attached to the housing,

c. a driven socket operably connected to the motor,

d. a pair of opposed seats mounted in the housing,

6.. a pair of deflectable arms attached together in spaced relation to each other in the housing,

f. brackets mounted on opposite portions of the arms and gravitationally positioned on the seats in the housing,

g. a pair of axles mounted for rotation on the arms in spaced relation. to each other,

h. a key on one of the axles normally engaged with the driven socket,

i. rollers mounted on each of the axles,

j. an endless loop of air-penetrable, moistureabsorbent material mounted on the rollers,

k. a first opening in the housing in general registration with the course defined by the loop as it extends from one roller to the, other,

I. a loop'assembly defined by the brackets, deflectable arms, and rollers being positioned on the seats so as to place one course of the endless loop in close proximity with the first opening,

m. radial flanges on the rollers to maintain the loop on the rollers in general registration with the first opening,

n. longitudinal radial flanges on at least one of the rollers to deflect the loop from its normal course from roller to roller, to loosen and discharge deposits from the loop,

0. means to supply water to the housing for absorption by and evaporation from the loop,

p. the loop assembly being removable from the housing by lifting its brackets off of the opposed seats in the housing upon which the assembly is gravitationally seated, and removing it from the housing for cleansing the loop,

q. the rollers having a diameter sufficient to space the opposite courses of the loop away from each other to permit circulation of air inside'the loop for humidification, as well as through the wall of the loop,

r. a second opening in the housing for air to pass. 

1. A humidifier for attachment to a warm air furnace comprising: a. a housing, b. a motor attached to the housing, c. a driven socket operably connected to the motor, d. a pair of opposed seats mounted in the housing, e. a pair of deflectable arms attached together in spaced relation to each other in the housing, f. brackets mounted on opposite portions of the arms and gravitationally positioned on the seats in the housing, g. a pair of axles mounted for rotation on the arms in spaced relation to each other, h. a key on one of the axles normally engaged with the driven socket, i. rollers mounted on each of the axles, j. an endless loop of air-penetrable, moisture-absorbent material mounted on the rollers, k. a first opening in the housing in general registration with the course defined by the loop as it extends from one roller to the other, l. a loop assembly defined by the brackets, deflectable arms, and rollers being positioned on the seats so as to place one course of the endless loop in close proximity with the first opening, m. radial flanges on the rollers to maintain the loop on the rollers in general registration with the first opening, n. longitudinal radial flanges on at least one of the rollers to deflect the loop from its normal course from roller to roller, to loosen and discharge deposits from the loop, o. means to supply water to the housing for absorption by and evaporation from the loop, p. the loop assembly being removable from the housing by lifting its brackets off of the opposed seats in the housing upon which the assembly is gravitationally seated, and removing it from the housing for cleansing the loop, q. the rollers having a diameter sufficient to space the opposite courses of the loop away from each other to permit circulation of air inside the loop for humidification, as well as through the wall of the loop, r. a second opening in the housing for air to pass. 